Speciality-Food-June-2025

CHEESE UNCUT 40 New retail perspectives from industry experts @specialityfood “Cheese amaize’s me” R ecently I have been carefully considering the cheese in my shop. Nutritional wellbeing is driven by the food and beverage that we consume. I want to start a trend by repping those great cheese farmers who genuinely listen and work with nature. Nature is brilliant and I am reassured to see that more people are beginning to listen and learn from it. For far too long humanity has worked against nature, starving the planet of precious resources. One of the largest contributing factors for the world’s health issue has been brought on by industrialised farming, not working in harmony with our planet. Since the World Wars we have been spraying our fields and crops with toxins derived from bombs and orange gas. We foolishly believed that we could produce healthy and nutritious food by using chemicals to suppress weeds and kill insects. By growing monocrops in lands that must be manipulated by human interventions in order to grow these crops is wrong. We need to become regenerative with our arable and livestock farming. By bringing all elements together, we can create nutrient dense soils, and healthy crops and meat. We should be concentrating in reengaging nature not increasing the size of our bank balances. Maize/corn is one of the world’s most commoditised foods being traded globally and at the detriment of our planet. Cows do not naturally eat maize – it is a food source that was largely introduced to the commercial cow diet in the 1940s. Like soy, another food that cows’ diets have been substituted with, maize also contributes to methane release – belching. This is nothing to worry about because DSM- Firmenich came along and invented ‘bovaer’ to suppress the emissions… really! There continues to be global deforestation making way for JAMES GRANT NO2 POUND STREET more soy and maize. If you are a trader, this is great news for futures in maize and soy commodities. Aren’t traders lucky that there is now bovaer to help supress methane emissions from cows being fed on grains that largely contribute to the methane issue and global deforestation. The world has gone stark raving mad. Supermarkets are chucking out over 350 million meals a day while the average UK household wastes 140 meals a year contributing to 4.5 million tons of edible food waste. There are almost 300 million people being challenged with climate change and facing food insecurity such as Sudan and other hotspots including Gaza, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali. Now is the time to wake up and buy our food properly from local producers, small passionate businesses and those that are truly working with nature. As a human it is in our interest to protect the environment from harm. We are in possession of the answers but sadly our voice is not being heard over the commercial capitalist regime. As a consumer you have the right to healthy food as it was intended without chemical and genetically modified intervention. Why should real cheese only be afforded by the wealthy? It is our divine right to eat properly. Promoting the benefits of real artisan cheese over cheap supermarket alternatives could attract more people. If everyone buys at least one piece of artisan cheese a month the impact on industrial cheesemakers will be felt. Historically, cheese was always made in spring and throughout the summer until autumn. Milk was preserved into cheese as a nourishing meal during the leaner months, with softer and crumblier cheeses being enjoyed through spring and summer. I am so pleased to see more cheese farmers working with natural pasture, mixed farming systems and avoiding maize and soya, plus saying no to the use of fertilisers, pesticides and the suppressant bovaer. Nature looks after itself, we are nature, and we need to learn from our animals and plants to be able to help revitalise and sustain our planet’s health. Cheese amazes me and should not a maize me. Now is the time towake up and buy our food properly from local producers, small passionate businesses and those that are trulyworkingwith nature Speciality Food is searching for independent cheesemongers to feature in the 2025 edition of Inspirational Cheese Retailers , and readers are invited to share their nominations online now. The last 12 months have been difficult for the retail sector, with new challenges to face including the rising price of energy, staffing and stock (with milk and dairy prices especially impacted), as well as the trickle-down effect of the cost-of- living crisis on customers. However, we’ve also seen incredible tenacity and innovation in this sector over the past year, with our independents battling on, weathering the storms, and coming out fighting. It’s with a great sense of pride that Speciality Food can continue to support and shine a light on some of the best of the best. The 2024 edition of Inspirational Cheese Retailers featured profiles of some of the UK’s most exciting and successful cheese shops, as chosen by professionals and cheese-loving consumers. Each one was hand- picked from dozens of nominations, selected for outstanding performance in a particular niche, such as ‘Expert Affineurs’, ‘The Educator’ and ‘The Nominate the best cheese retailers in Britain Experimenter’. Steve and Caroline Ward, founders of St Giles Cheese in Northampton, were delighted to be included, having founded their business on a shoestring budget in the midst of a recession. “We were doomed to fail,” Steve said, revealing they were, at best, enthusiastic amateurs when they opened their doors. But that enthusiasm has translated into a raft of customers who adore visiting their shop to explore the wonderful world of artisan cheese. “Over the years we have become friends with many of our customers,” Steve continued. “Each week, we remember what each of our regulars was up to last week, and what they like or are not fond of – one finds oneself building a mental flavour profile for each of these customers. There then comes a point when you can recommend a cheese without even given a taster, such is that customer’s confidence you’ll pick the right one.” It is passion like this that makes the speciality food sector such a rewarding environment, and we want to shine a light on retailers upholding these values. In the 2025 edition of Inspirational Cheese Retailers , we will be showcasing a new batch of worthy winners who are champions of their local region and the very best cheese from around the world; and we want you to have your say! If you know an independent who deserves to be named an Inspirational Cheese Retailer, head to specialityfoodmagazine.com , search for Inspirational Cheese Retailers and nominate your winners. Truer Kaas unveils spicy new addition Following the enormous success of its first seasonal cheese (Reblochon- style Raedwald), Fen FarmDairy is already thinking about the next addition to its stable, says founder and farmer Jonny Crickmore. There was lots of excitement at the beginning of the year with the limited batch launch of Raedwald, particularly as the farm’s take on a Brie (Baron Bigod) is recommended and enjoyed widely across the UK and the rest of the world, held up as one of the finest modern artisan cheeses in Britain. Jonny is looking forward to seeing where the journey takes themnext. “I was so chuffed with howwell Raedwald went,” he said. “The cheese just got better and better. I think the Fen FarmDairy working on its third cheese after Raedwald success Family run cheesemaker Truer Kaas (producer of Weydeland), has just launched Villa Jalapeno – a farmstead cheese with a bite of warmth. Made from thermised cow’s milk, it contains jalapeno chilli, pepper, garlic, coriander seeds and tomato and is aged for around eight weeks, resulting in a creamy, soft texture. It makes a fiery, interesting addition to the cheeseboard, but also taps into consumer interest in spicy flavours andMexican tastes, being an ideal melting or accompaniment cheese for tacos, burritos, tostados andmore. It’s available now. last batches we made were really good. And it was quite fun doing it, really – a seasonal cheese. The pressure is off with it.” Raedwald will be back in January, Jonny confirmed, hopefully with bigger capacity to fill the orders that flooded their books this winter. Trials are underway for the third cheese, due to be ready next summer. While his lips are sealed for now, Jonny will confirm it’s going to be a small, soft, square-shaped lactic-style, around 200g in size. “The name will have a Suffolk link to it – but it won’t be predictable!” It’s been an interesting few months for the dairy, he added. “I just loved the idea around developing a seasonal cheese and people reacting to it and celebrating it. I’m really quite proud of how Raedwald went, and at how people embraced it. We saw it through exactly as we said we would –we made it for three months, and now it’s gone. The funny thing is, we could take the opportunity this Christmas to sell loads of it, but for me, this is about the bigger picture, using the milk when it’s available, and fitting it in with the time of year. It’s something to look forward to.” Head to our website and nominate your winners